Apprentice
by Alphina
Summary: Kate becomes an apprentice to the local farmer Jack. im sorry im not very good at writing summaries. very new at this after all xD
1. Assessment

The sun rose over the mountains surrounding Forget-Me-Not Valley. Kate finished her breakfast and headed for Romana's Villa. She loved visiting the mansion and did regularly. Romana loved company and always welcomed people in her house with a smile. Of course the best part of visiting Romana was to see the garden that Sebastian took such good care of.

Kate loved plants and in particular, bright colorful flowers. He mother always kept flower arrangements in the house. That was before she left. She wished she had learned how to grow flowers before the divorce.

(Oh well) she thought (maybe Sebastian will give me some of his gardening tips)

Kate was torn from her thoughts as she neared the Villa. There was arguing to be heard in the garden. Kate darted up the paved road to find Sebastian and the Witch Princess (who, although unwelcome, lived in the shed behind the villa) arguing over a patch of dead plants.

"Well I think they look better that way. All the color in this garden makes me sick," that said, the Witch Princess turned away only to be met by the freckle faced girl running up the walkway.

"Good Morning Sebastian, "She waved and then noticed the patch of what used to be flowers. Now they were wilted and brown, looking somewhat decomposed, "What happened?" she gasped in astonishment. Sebastian always took painstaking care for the garden, so it was unusual…make that unperceivable that they would be in this condition.

"Ah, it's nice to see you again, Kate, but you came at a bad time. You see our _good friend _the Witch Princess has taken the liberty of killing Ms. Romana's flowers," as he finished his sentence the butler glowered visibly and received a look of complete indifference from the witch.

"I merely improved them," she stated casually, "but since you don't appreciate my effort and I'm so generous a person, I'll turn them back," before Kate and Sebastian could stop her, the witch uttered her spell, "AXOA XAO X," a moment later, the entire patch of flowers disappeared all together, "Oops, that wasn't suppose to happen. I must have gotten the spell wrong again. Oh well," she smiled and readied her broom stick, "that took care of the problem. Bye now," Sebastian shook his head and sighed.

"I should go to Vesta's farm and see if she has any flower seeds,"

"Can I come too?" Kate asked gleefully, "I can help you plant them."

"I don't see why not," the old butler smiled kindly, "Just wait for a moment and I'll tell Romana," he then dusted his hands off and proceeded into the villa. Kate waited only a couple minutes before Sebastian returned. "Should we head off then?" he asked and the two started off down the hill.

It wasn't until they reached the bridge leading to Vesta's farm, when Kate remembered what she wanted to ask Sebastian.

"I was wondering, Sebastian, that maybe you could teach me how to grow flowers like the one's at Romana's villa," She didn't wait for a response before continuing, "My mother used to grow lots of flowers before she left, but the ones I have always die," this time she waited for a response from the butler.

"I would love to show you my gardening skills," he said, "but you see, I'm afraid I am not the best of teachers--"

"I learn real quick and I can help keep the Witch Princess away from the garden." she added desperately.

"Now hold on, hear me out. What I think you should do is ask Vesta if she'll take you on as an apprentice. She would undoubtedly have more knowledge in that area than I.

"But Vesta grown vegetables," Kate argued, throwing her arms out in exasperation, "I want to grow flowers. I don't even like vegetables."

"It's the same concept: flowers and vegetables. They both take time and care to grow. You know the first plant I grew on my own was mint."

"Mint?," Kate looked skeptically at the butler

"Yes. You know my other hobby is cooking, right? I used in in my cooking. It was a way to connect my two favorite past times."

"Well mint is _not _a vegetable," Kate mumbled.

_--_

**Well that was chapter one **


	2. Apprenticeship part I

That evening, Kate sat at the dining room table eating a plate of scrambled eggs. She did more chasing her food across the plate with the fork than eating, but she had too much on her mind at the time to feel hungry. Her dad was rarely around so she didn't have much respect for him and didn't feel as though she needed his approval for any decisions she would make. Of course of her father was only an excuse; she had always been independent.

After cleaning up, she had decided to take Sebastian's advice. She would go see Vesta again tomorrow and ask for an apprenticeship.

(Who knows?) she thought (It might not be so bad.)

The next morning, Kate headed outside. The sky was showing dark rain clouds approaching from the southwest and the air was damp and warm.

"Looks like a storm is headed our way. Better pack an umbrella," Wolly was passing by on one of his routine jogs around the village. "Off to Romana's this morning?" he asked casually.

"Actually I'm visiting Vesta," she said confidently, "and a storm wont get in my way today," Kate was rarely bothered by rain, and to her mother's great disapproval, would go about as if there were not a cloud in the sky. Rain was just water, and water, in decent amounts didn't hurt people. Thus she shrugged off the storm and proceeded on past the inn. It was then that it started to rain. Only it wasn't water that fell from the sky. The rain came in the form of a tennis shoe, a hard cover pocket book, and a potted cactus plant which had been thrown from the second floor of the Inner Inn. Kate stood there considering the commotion going on inside when suddenly Ruby's lazy son came scrambling out the front doors. Rock noticed Kate and ran behind her as a shield.

Kate was not big on superstition but as she was caught between Rock and a very angry Nami wielding one of Tim's exotic lamps in one hand, she soon wished she had read her horoscope that particular day. It might have gone something like this: Whatever you do, DON'T leave the house today less misfortune fall upon you. Then to her great relief, Tim appeared in the doorway behind Nami and plucked the lamp from her hand.

"Please don't mistreat my souvenirs, Nami, this lamp was given to me in a far away country." the red head gave the round man an apologetic look and when she turned back around, Rock was gone. Not wanting any conflict with the red head, who's glare she was certain could kill, Kate pointed in the direction of the Blue Bar. When Nami had taken off after Rock, Kate put distance between herself and the inn, leaving Tim at the doorway shaking his head.

Just ahead of the bridge, Jack came down the entrance from the farm Takakura and him run. He was leading Nickels, his tan stock horse. His saddle was loaded down with eggs and milk products to be sold in the village and the neighboring town.

"Hey there Kate," he smiled and waved a gloved hand over his head.

"Hi Jack," she said, then turned to his horse, "hello Nickels," she patted his neck and tickled his nose. The small horse snorted and swished his tail.

"So where are you off to? Vesta's I suppose?"

"yup," they both headed in that direction as they spoke.

"Stocking the kitchen?"

"No, Dad picked up groceries on his day off," when Kate didn't continue, he decided to change the subject.

"Kick and I are stopping off at Vesta's before leaving for Mineral Town. Takakura usually deals with marketing and such, but he's been a little under the weather lately."

"Has Dr. Hardy seen him yet?" Kate looked a bit worried because not too long ago, Nina, the retired elderly lady who lived in the valley with her husband Galen, had died.

"Yeah. He says Takakura will be alright with a few days rest. I have to say though, it's been tough keeping him in bed. He insists on sneaking out to check on the farm's progress."

Jack tied the reigns to a post outside Vesta's shop (which was little more than an oversized storage shed). They both entered and were instantly greeted by one of Vesta's workers.

"Welcome," the brown haired girl's voice chimed, "Vesta is expecting your shipment. She should be back any minute now." she tipped her head to the side and folded her hands behind her back as she gave them a bright and cheerful smile. Then, as if on cue, Vesta herself came strolling in, humming a tune as she did.

"Well it's about time," she said, putting her hands to her hips and laughing heartily, "I was beginning to think you wouldn't show up at all. Oh, and Kate's along as well. Don't normally see you all the way out here on a regular basis." Vesta proceeded to pick up a clipboard from the table set in the center of the shop. "I've got an order for 3 chicken eggs and a bottle of Grade A cow's milk here for Romana," she said placing checks next to each item as she read it, "and 2 pounds goat cheese for Ruby." she looked up from the clipboard to signal that was all and Jack nodded before turning back out the door to retrieve said supplies from the packs Nickels was carrying.

"Now what can I do for you?" she inclined her head to the little freckle faced girl. Kate set her face with a look of determination.

"I came to ask for an apprenticeship here on your farm." Vesta considered the young girl for a moment then the shop doors opened and in came Jack, toting the supplies that had been requested. Vesta glanced up for a moment then turned back to the table and proceeded to count coins from a lockbox that sat at the corner.

"Celia can show you where to put those," she gestured towards the back of the room where the girl that had greeted them was kept busy organizing boxes of produce, "will 400g do it?," she asked and looked behind her to where Jack stood handing Celia the 2 pounds of goat cheese wrapped in a paper thin tan cloth. Not sure how much Takakura sold anything for, he trusted what Vesta would offer.

"Yeah, that would cover it," he twisted his head around to face Vesta as he spoke.

Kate still stood in front of the table. She wasn't quite sure what to do. She felt put out that her request had been slightly ignored.

"It must be difficult running the farm while Takakura is ill," she noted casually

"Yeah, but he's getting older and I cant rely on him forever; might as well start getting used to the extra work," it was then that she turned back to the waiting girl. Kate stiffened and tried to prepare herself for the evident rejection she was to receive.

"I'm afraid I have all the help I need out here with Celia and Marlin," Kate exhaled, not realizing she had been holding her breath, "but Jack here is in need of a farm hand, it would seem." she put out a hand gesturing toward the farmer, who was just starting to understand what was going on, "you might ask him." that said, Vesta retreated to the back where she instructed Celia to package and deliver what she had just bought.


End file.
